That's true but I'm hopeful for improvement.

But hasn't visited once before in the previous 20 years.
This is a bigger mistake than resurrecting Kathy.

But won't someone please think of the guy who constantly writes about Susan Tully and a file. What will he/she do now and just before Christmas too!

She'll be working in the laundrette by Feb

FFS why do they have to go and ruin it I know there was specualtion but we didn't know for sure.

Will Michelle have an American accent?

I'm glad they've got themselves such a good actress to play Michelle and I hope people give her a chance. Exciting news.

Won’t it take some getting used to seeing someone you well from other roles being recast as someone some of you already know ? I don’t know any of them, so cannot be biased or whatever. A couple of months ago I tried to find something with Babe/Anette Badland on youtube – as I didn’t know her either – found something, something called “3 in a family” or something like that – her son was home for the weekend – but no matter what she did/said – I thought of her as the blackmailing b**** from EE – impossible for me to see her in another light. To me she was Babe through and through. Perhaps she was – only seen that episode. But I could not see past Babe.

Very interesting news, and a ballsy decision from SOC. I think it may pay off.

I wonder if Mark Jr will be back with her?

A few weeks ago, somebody claimed she'd been recast and I dismissed it ever happening. Appears I have some humble pie to eat.

I'm sceptical about this, I must say. I assume and hope it was with Susan Tully's blessing,

For me it will all come down to her chemistry with Letitia. Hopefully it'll work.

Are you having a giraffe? As soon as hr first scene airs some bright spark is bound to say that she's nothing like Michelle

Someone posted a few weeks ago that Michelle had been recast and that Grant would be making a return for a short stint in the new year to confront her about keeping Mark Jr a secret

As long as people give it a year for the character to actually develop before everyone starts saying "This return has flopped"

See post 61

To be expected...probably someone who wasn't even born when the show first aired. The year of the Fowlers..I couldn't be more excited.

Who would want to be friends with Linda anyway? She would constantly spout nonsense about how perfect her irritating bastard of a husband is the entire time.

I'm quite stunned. As usual, I'll give the actress a chance. She does kind of resemble Michelle before and Susan Tully now. Good luck to Jenna Russell.

I think it's fantastic news but why would Michelle come back to Walford if she's been living in USA for 21 years? Will she have a USA accent? I think the recast will be successful and hopefully people will give her a chance.. I'm excited to see her with the Fowlers and her best friend, Sharon.

Ive wanted Jenna Russell in the show for years. But then I always wanted Linda Henry in the show and it took me a very long while to warm to Shirley

So "excited" may not be the right word for what I'm feeling

I do think the time is right for a Michelle recast though, what with the summer event of Mark Jrs reveal. Michelle may be a bit frosty with the likes of Ian and Sharon and that can be easily explained by them revealing her deepest darkest secret

All these old characters returning though.... I'm surprised no ones singing another bites the dust.

Although I'm not sure I approve of a re-cast, they have done it at the right time with the 10th anniversary of Pauline's death.

Was embargo broken?

This is awful

Sharon and Michelle should have a 2 hander can you imagine Sharon having to fill Michelle in on what's been going on...

Michelle: So how's Ian's kids?

Sharon: One's six foot under. Another is on drugs...One shot his wife and was a psychopath. And the other is in Jail for murdering his sister and hitting his mum with a hockey stick.

Michelle: Oh crikey. How's Dot doing?

Sharon: Well apart from Nick returning 2 times the first time with a grandaughter who tried to poison her and the second time with another grandchild that helped fake Nick's death she's still going....Blind as a bat though

Michelle: How awful...faking a death how low can you go...

Sharon: Well it's not the first time my dad oh excuse me I mean your daughter's father faked his death...Remember old Kath? She's back alive...I've seen Pat's ghost a couple times too.

Furious, absolutely furious. I bet Letitia Dean is not happy